Texada Island’s airport will not have fencing around the facility anytime in the near future if qathet Regional District (qRD) directors vote affirmatively on a motion forwarded by the finance committee.
At the June 22 finance committee meeting, directors were provided a recommendation that a staff report on the airport fencing project be received and that the committee recommend one of three options to endorse regarding financing for this project.
Electoral Area D director Sandy McCormick said she wanted to suggest a motion that the committee recommend the regional board receive the staff report, that staff be directed to continue exploring opportunities for grant funding, and that the fencing project be put into abeyance until such time as funding through grants and taxation is obtained, or the community expressed a desire to proceed with borrowing for the project.
According to the staff report, the airport master plan determined $300,000 would be needed to complete the wildlife fencing and walking trail around the perimeter.
McCormick said this recommendation follows directly from a meeting of the Texada Airport Advisory Committee, which met in mid-May.
“The committee strongly recommended that this is the wrong time to be putting this forward,” said McCormick. “Texada residents have taken a whole pile of financial hits, from increased taxes to gas prices that are out of the roof, and of course with COVID-19, there is a lack of revenue from things that didn’t go on. There’s a lot of financial pressure right now.
“Although it makes sense for fencing to be considered as the right solution over the long term, I’m afraid, right now, if a referendum was to be held, it would fail. There is strong opposition to this.”
McCormick said there is a wildlife management plan as part of the airport management plan, and that has worked well. She said there has not been an incident in five years.
“For right now, by making this decision, it empowers staff to continue to seek funding if opportunities arise, but it doesn’t close the door on future fencing considerations,” said McCormick. “It would be far better to hold off, not make a decision now, and revisit it in a period of time.”
Director CaroleAnn Leishman asked if the committee could hear from staff regarding Transport Canada’s recommendation, what the risks and liabilities are, and whether the wildlife management plan is going to be seen as sufficient.
Manager of asset management and strategic initiatives Melissa Howey said Transport Canada does not require a fence for the airport. She said it does say a wildlife management plan needs to be submitted with an authorization application, and that a wildlife management plan would be reviewed and audited. She said she could not answer the liability question.
“Transport Canada has issued a flight supplement that warns pilots that there is known deer activity in the airport vicinity,” said Howey.
The finance committee carried McCormick’s motion unanimously.
